May 2, 2018

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Huawei and ZTE phones banned from being sold on U.S. military bases

by John_A

This latest order comes straight from the Pentagon.

Huawei and ZTE have been prime targets for the Trump Administration over the past few months, and in the latest move against the two companies, the Pentagon is now banning the sale of Huawei and ZTE phones from United States military bases.

According to the Pentagon, the ban is being put in place due to the reported possibility that smartphones from the two Chinese companies could spy on U.S. soldiers and send any collected data back to Beijing.

Commenting on the announcement, Army Major Dave Eastburn said –

Huawei and ZTE devices may pose an unacceptable risk to the department’s personnel, information, and mission. In light of this information, it was not prudent for the department’s exchanges to continue selling them.

Soldiers can still continue to use phones from Huawei and ZTE if they already own them or purchase them elsewhere, but Eastburn notes that they “should be mindful of the security risks posed by the use.” Additionally, the Wall Street Journal says –

The Pentagon is also evaluating whether a military-wide advisory regarding the purchase or use of the devices is necessary.

Late last month, both Huawei and ZTE were faced with breaking points in the United States. Huawei announced on April 18 that it would be shifting its focus away from the U.S. market following constant backlash from the country and ZTE was hit with an 8-year Denial Order from the FTC – essentially stopping its smartphone business in the U.S.

This latest move from the Pentagon shows that the United States isn’t done pushing Huawei and ZTE as far away as possible, so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes next in this ongoing clash.